sony cybershot digital camera

Overstock: Microfiber Down Blanket $40 shipped

2008-10-02T21:19:00.019-07:00

Overstock: Microfiber Down Blanket $40 shipped

Staples: Bush Stanford Computer Desk $170 shipped

2008-10-02T21:19:00.017-07:00

New Olympus E-420 DSLR - compared against rivals

2008-10-02T21:19:00.015-07:00

Today Olympus announced its latest DSLR, the E-420. Successor to the E-410, the new E-420 shares the same compact dimensions which make it one of the smallest and lightest DSLRs around. The core specifications of a 10 megapixel sensor with Live View and effective anti-dust features remain, but the E-420 now features a slightly bigger 2.7in screen and the addition of contrast-based AF facilities complete with Face Detection. For those who really like to travel light, Olympus has also introduced a 'pancake' style 25mm f2.8 lens which measures just 23.5mm and offers standard 50mm coverage on the E-420. The E-420 will be available in April for 379 GBP in a kit with the 14-42mm lens. Check out our Olympus E-420 feature comparison to see how it measures-up against its rivals. Read More

Sony DSC-T70 Digital Camera

2008-10-02T21:19:00.013-07:00

The Sony Cybershot T70 digital camera has a unique innovative feature that makes us want to shout out Read More

Windows Vista - Start Menu - Taskbar - Toolbars - Expand the Control Panel to a Menu

2008-10-02T21:19:00.011-07:00

Windows Vista - Start Menu - Taskbar - Toolbars - Expand the Control Panel to a Menu
Provide easier access to Control Panel items via the Windows Vista Start Menu.

Normally, accessing Control Panel items from the Windows Vista Start Menu is a multi-step process. If you are using the standard Windows Vista Start Menu, you must click on "Control Panel" from the "Start Menu", wait for the "Control Panel" window to open, and then select your desired applet. Or, if you are using the Classic Start Menu, there are even more steps - click the Start Menu, then select "Settings", then "Control Panel", and then select your desired applet once the "Control Panel" window appears.

Would you like to save a step by making the Control Panel automatically expand from the Start Menu, providing easier access to configuration applets?...

Read more at MalekTips.

Nikon D90, Canon EOS 50D, D300 and D80 Compared Side by Side

2008-10-02T21:19:00.009-07:00

Nikon D90, Canon EOS 50D, D300 and D80 Compared Side by Side
With the announcement of the new 15.1 MP Canon EOS 50D and the 12.3 Nikon D90 enthusiast digital SLR cameras coming on almost the same day, there is certainly a lot of excitement (and debate) happening among photographers within the Canon and Nikon communities. We have just posted a side by side comparison overview between the Nikon D90, Canon EOS 50D, and the D300 and D80 and highlighted the major differences in order to hopefully help make the buying decision process a little easier. See full story...

Bloomingdales: extra 25% off select sale items

2008-10-02T21:19:00.007-07:00

Bloomingdales: extra 25% off select sale items

T-Mobile Sidekick 2008

2008-10-02T21:19:00.005-07:00

Before teenagers were snapping up iPhones and BlackBerrys left and right, T-Mobile’s original Sidekick was the phone to own for fashion-savvy textaholics. The latest T-Mobile Sidekick bulks up on features without bulking up on size, making it a definite upgrade and a solid value as far as we’re concerned – even with the more crowded market for smartphones.

Read | Permalink | User Reviews | Linking Blogs

Overstock: Microfiber Down Blanket $40 shipped

2008-10-02T21:19:00.003-07:00

Overstock: Microfiber Down Blanket $40 shipped

ZEISS Victory binoculars integrate laser rangefinder

2008-10-02T21:19:00.001-07:00

Carl Zeiss has incorporated a laser rangefinder into its new Victory RF binoculars, providing hunters, hikers and birdwatchers with an all-in-one viewing solution in a compact form factor. The Victory 8x45 T RF and Victory 10x45 T RF binoculars feature a world first design that incorporates a folding bridge without separate transmission optics and boast fast rangefinding capabilities that can determine the distance from an object up to 200 meters (300 yards) away in less than one second with an accuracy down to one meter. ..

Tags: Sports

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Red network migration: Part II

2008-09-29T21:55:00.017-07:00

Red network migration: Part II
It's a new letter - and now confirming that I will be on the Red network in 4 days!

... and it also comes with the home phone features guide (which I'm sure I found it in the Vodafone Help
system somewhere before...) - just goes through the new processes with the unbundled home phone product.

I'll post my ADSL sync when I get a new modem (which should be soon) as my D-Link isn't up to ADSL2+ yet.

Hope to still you on the other side!

Adobe launches Photoshop CS4

2008-09-29T21:55:00.015-07:00

As expected, there will be a new a version of Adobe's Photoshop image editing software on display this morning when visitors hit the show floor at Photokina. Read More

Exclusive Nikon D300 Test and Sample Images Just Posted

2008-09-29T21:55:00.013-07:00

We have had the opportunity to test out a final production Nikon D300 digital SLR, and have just posted an image gallery with links to full resolution sample images from this exciting new camera. Some of the images were taken with the AF 50mm F1.8 Nikkor, and the original 45mm f2.8P manual focus lens. Check out the results... Read More

NewEgg: AllComponents 2GB SDRAM DDR2 800 PC2 6400 Desktop Memory $37 shipped

2008-09-29T21:55:00.011-07:00

NewEgg: AllComponents 2GB SDRAM DDR2 800 PC2 6400 Desktop Memory $37 shipped

Crowd Sourcing a new logo for Cloud Labs

2008-09-29T21:55:00.009-07:00

I've been fascinated by the concept known as crowd sourcing for some time, so last night I decided to start an experiment. I'm engaging the techniques of crowd sourcing to obtain a logo for Cloud Labs (one of my business interests). Right now the pro... (more in the full post)

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 450D SLR

2008-09-29T21:55:00.007-07:00

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 450D SLR
Canon has now officially announced the 12.2 Megapixel Canon Digital Rebel XSi 450D SLR camera. Incorporating a number of advanced functions and technology found in Canon professional SLR models, the EOS Rebel XSi boasts an improved autofocus sensor, enhanced 14 bit AD conversion, a large 3.0 inch LCD monitor with an advanced Live View function. The Canon Digital Rebel XSi will be available in both black and silver finishes, and sold as body only or in kit form. Read more...

Nikon D60 - video tour now ready!

2008-09-29T21:55:00.005-07:00

Our brand new Nikon D60 video tour is now uploaded and ready to go! Apologies for the delay. Read More

Dell Home: Inspiron 518 Desktop Q6600 3GB 500GB DVD+-RW $599 + 40% off LCDs

2008-09-29T21:55:00.003-07:00

Dell Home: Dell SP2208WFP 22in Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor $280 shipped

2008-09-29T21:55:00.001-07:00

Dell Home: Dell SP2208WFP 22in Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor $280 shipped

Dabbling in OpenSolaris

2008-09-29T21:54:00.001-07:00

Lately, I have had the chance to dabble a bit in OpenSolaris while working on a particular server installation. OpenSolaris, as you may know, is the recently open-sourced version of Sun's Solaris OS, which in turn is one of the many ... (more in the full post)

Samsung Yp T10 4GB yp T10JAB

2008-09-25T19:48:00.011-07:00

Samsung Yp T10 4GB yp T10JAB
The Samsung YP-T10 is a super slim and sexy MP3 player which although is looking a little like the Samsung

TVNZ7 Internet Debate

2008-09-25T19:48:00.009-07:00

TVNZ7 Internet Debate

The TVNZ 7 Internet Debate, in association with InternetNZ involves four politicians quizzed on major areas of ICT policy with questions coming from you through the online chat, a studio audience, and experienced journalists.
The politicians are Labour’s Minister of Communications Hon David Cunliffe, National ICT Spokesperson Hon Maurice Williamson, ACT Leader Rodney Hide and Greens ICT Spokesperson Metiria Turei.
Broadcaster Sean Plunket will moderate the debate, with questions posed by experienced journalists Fran O’Sullivan and Russell Brown.

Mauricio has already mentioned this debate numerous times on Geekzone and from the lack of comments in the forums set up for this thread it seems that people don't seem interested in what is happening in the internet scene in NZ which is rather ironic because the second xxx ISP has poor speeds of xxx telco has a problem suddenly out of the woodwork come hundreds of people all lining up to complain!

This is YOUR chance to have YOUR questions answered by these four MP's, any of whom could be key players in the telecommunications sector in New Zealand after this years election.

Ask your Broadband questions here

Ask your cybersafety questions here

Ask your digital divide questions here

Ask your copyright questions here

Ask your convergence questions here

The debate screens live on TVNZ7 at 9pm on Tuesday 23rd September. It will also be streamed live in the TVNZ website.

Canon Rebel XSi and Powershot price drops

2008-09-25T19:48:00.007-07:00

Canon Rebel XSi and Powershot price drops
Canon Canada Inc. has today announced a significant price reduction on the 12MP Canon Rebel XSi camera body, and on the available Canon Rebel XSi kit configurations, including the standard EOS Rebel XSi kit with EF-S 18-55mm IS zoom lens. Canon has also reduced the price on the sleek and pocketable 10 megapixel Canon Powershot SD890 IS, SD790 IS and the Powershot SD770 IS digital cameras by up to $50. See full story...

HP Home: HP Pavilion a6560t desktop E8400 2GB 640GB Blu-ray TV PVR $600 shipped

2008-09-25T19:48:00.005-07:00

HP Home: HP Pavilion a6560t desktop E8400 2GB 640GB Blu-ray TV PVR $600 shipped

Great Minds of History: Nikola Tesla (Никола Тесла)

2008-09-25T19:48:00.003-07:00

Great Minds of History: Nikola Tesla (Никола Тесла)
I thought I would deviate today from my regular ramblings and do a bit of a tribute post to a man I consider to be one of the greatest minds in history.

Nikola Tesla,

Nikola Tesla is not referred to as often as Edison, and doesn't equate the level of fame of guys like Einstein, there are many reasons put forward for this, but it could perhaps be due to many of his greatest visions and inventions not coming to fruition.

-However- this is not to say he isn't well known and remembered,

According to wikipedia:

"Contemporary biographers of Tesla have regarded him as "The Father of Physics", "The man who invented the twentieth century"^[3] and "the patron saint of modern electricity."^[4]"

Nikola Tesla was born in Smiljan, Lika, Croatian Krajina region the then Austo-Hungarian Empire, To a Serbian Orthodox Priest father, and a Mother who invented Household appliances.
He moved to America in 1884, with an introduction letter from Charles Batchelor to Thomas Edison,

Charles Batchelor was a close a associate of Thomas Edison, and grew up in Manchester England, he himself is still regarded as a great inventor and was an early executive of the General Electric Company.

Thomas Edison is a very-well known inventor (in-part no doubt to the American ability to Celebrate their Heroes - which I think is really good and other countries should celebrate their historical heroes as much, however ironic that Edison was born a Canadian) most definitely his fame comes from his most well known invention, the long-lasting, practical Electric Lightbulb (no he didn't actually invent the lightbulb - infact a majority of his inventions were improvements on prior patented inventions). other inventions include the Phonograph and the Carbon Microphone.

The letter had more in it, but a common quotation from the letter is

" I know two great Men, One is you (referring to Edison) and the other is this young man (referring to Tesla)"

Nikola Tesla then productively spent the next 59 years living in New York.

Telsa's first work was setting about improving Edison's line of dynamos whilst working in Edison's lab, This is when the historically discussed disagreement with Edison began, over direct current versus alternating current. this initial "divergence" culminated in a "war of the currents".

Tesla felt that the use of direct current was inefficient, as he view all energies as being cyclic, so he felt that rather than sending direct current, one should build generators that would send electrical energy first one way, then another, in multiple waves using the polyphase principal.

Edison's preferred DC had a severe disadvantage in that it could not be transported more than two miles due to its inability to step up to high voltage levels necessary for long distance travel, as a result a DC Power station was required at two mile intervals.

Tidbit: Direct current flows continuously in one direction, alternating current changes direction (usually 50 or 60 times per second)
the common term for this is hertz which is a measure of frequency, loosly defined as the number of events per second.

the formal definition as defined by the international system of Units (SI) is as defined as follows from Wikipedia:
the hyperfine splitting in the ground state of the caesium 133 atom is exactly 9 192 631 770 hertz, $ν$ (hfs Cs) = 9 192 631 770 Hz.^[1]. Equivalently, 1 Hz = ¹⁄_{9,192,631,770} $ν$ (hfs Cs). This definition is derived from the SI definition of the second. The base unit for hertz is s^-1 (also called inverse seconds, reciprocal seconds). As hertz
is commonly used to measure rotational speed, the base unit is sometimes represented as cycle/s.

Whilst working as a manual laborer Tesla continued his various pieces of research, and in 1887 he constructed the first brushless AC induction motor, which he then demonstrated at the American Institute of Electrical engineers

- an organisation still around to this day, but known as IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) - www.ieee.org

as part of his paper titled "A New System of Alternating Current Motors and Transformers", a copy of his paper is available online
here It is quite facisinating reading, if you enjoy historical inventions at a rather technical level, in it he states

" I will now proceed to show how this result was accomplished."

Highly recommended if you enjoy technical reading.

One of the people that Tesla managed to significantly impress was a rather well known (and partially well known to this day) was George Westinghouse, inventor and industrialist - whose name lives on today in everything from kitchen appliances to laundry appliances and more!

purportedly around February 1882; Tesla discovered the rotating magnetic field, which is of course fundamental to many aspects of physics and a neccessary required basis to all alternating current devices,

The brilliant thing that Tesla achieved, was the adaption of his discovery of the rotating magnetic field into the construction of the AC induction motor.

The AC Induction motor is used everywhere in the world, it is considered by many to be a cornerstone of the industrial revolution at the turn of the century and to this day a majority of electricity is generated, transmitted and converted thanks to the Inventions of Tesla.

However, whilst regarded as his greatest and most world changing, His Polyphase Alternating Current system is by no means his only invention.

His inventions were wide and numerous, and utterly brilliant and there is quite a lengthy list, some of the inventions you are using right now as you read this (as i have already discussed), and other work he performed whilst not the inventor, took various fields to a whole new level,

some of Telsa's Inventions and discoveries include:

The Tesla Coil (fairly obvious that one)
Alternating Current, Polyphasic etc.
First Hydroelectric powerplant at the Niagara falls in 1895
The Fluorescent Light
Laser Beams
Wireless Communications (big disputes between Marconi and Tesla with both having held the patent / credit for radio,)
- In 1896 Tesla patented the basic system of radio, his publish schematics, diagrams and descriptions, provided all the details of the basic elements of a radio transmitter, which was later used by marconi.
- So after a decision in the US Supreme court (1943) Marconi's most significant patent was deemed invalid stating Telsa's contribution was more significant in the invention of Radio Technology. (Tesla and Marconi were not the only inventors / discoverers nor the only legitimate patent holders there is a whole lot that was involved)
Wireless Electrical Energy Transmission
Remote Control (first demonstrated to
Robotics
A variant of the X-Ray tubes
Significant advances in robotics
Bladeless steam turbine (based on a spiral flow principal)
Super-high temperature pump.
Discovered the Resonant frequency of the Earth (Confirmed in 1950 as the resonant frequency of the Earth's ionospheric cavity - within this range at least, this is known as the Schemann resonance)
Terrestrial Stationary Waves (Tesla considered this his most significant discovery)

Tesla considered his discovery of terrestrial stationary waves his most significant discovery for a number of reasons,
He proved that the Earth itself was able to be used as a conductor and was highly sensitive and responsive to electrical vibrations of particular frequencies,

Part of proving this he produced artificial lightning with (according to Wikipedia) discharges consisting of millions of volts and up to 135 feet long!

Wikipedia also states that reproductions of Tesla's receivers and coherer circuits show an unpredicted level of complexity.
it is during this time Tesla states that he observed stationary waves.

Tesla found ways to transmit power and energy, wirelessly, over some very long distances (we are definitely not talking about across a room here)
some via transverse waves, but more via logitudinal waves.

He successfully transmitted via the ground as well as through the Kennelly-Heaviside Layer.

Not only did tesla successfully transmit to specialised detectors, he demonstrated lighting his light bulbs from a long distance without any wires, via the tesla effect

the tesla effect is defined in various sources as: "..term for an application of a type of electrical conduction. Through logitudinal waves, an operator uses the tesla effoct in the wireless transferl of energy to a receiving device."

Around this time is when things went a bit awry (or at least many of the things are yet to be proved in the way Tesla predicted)

Whilst Tesla was in his lab in Colorado he observed unusual signals that he later thought may have been evidence of extraterrestrial radio communications coming from Venus or Mars.
Part of this were repetitive signals form his receiver that were totally different from the signals he had noted from storms and background earth noise.

Tesla makes mention of this event in many of his writings and many times he mentions his thoughts that his inventions could be used to talk with other planets.

Many people claim that he invented a Teslascope for this purpose, there are many people out there who have claimed to have built one and listened to cosmic rays (ok, totally believable, there is an abundance of radiation out there, and nothing wrong with converting it into audible signals) others claim to use it to converse with Aliens and strongly believe Tesla did so. (Ok, I'd love to believe. give me some PROOF)

Although many people have discussed it, perhaps Tesla's invention was in some forms merited - as many of his other discoveries were considered foolish, or even impossible until he demonstrated it, and he never demonstrated the Teslascope, however it did receive much publicity in Time Magazines July 20, 1931 issue which when celebrating Tesla's 75th birthday Tesla stated:

[I have conceived] a means that will make it possible for man to transmit energy in large amounts, thousands of horsepower, from one planet to another, absolutely regardless of distance. I think that nothing can be more important than interplanetary communication. It will certainly come some day and the certitude that there are other human beings in the universe, working, suffering, struggling, like ourselves, will produce a magic effect on mankind and will form the foundation of a universal brotherhood that will last as long as humanity itself.

—Nikola Tesla,

The Fantastic thing about the internet and World Wide web?
The full article is available to read on the Time Magazine website here

To be honest there is a big part of me that gives Tesla the benefit of the Doubt, he was an undeniable genius, and managed to discover and invent many things that were thought not possible (in fact some of proven his inventions many people to this day think dont actually exist or aren't real!!)

Unfortunately while Tesla was a Genius inventor, he wasn't good with money, he left colorado, and his lab was torn down and contents sold off to cover debts,

however Tesla was already looking ahead to his next great project.

the Wardenclyffe Tower,

Wardenclyffe Tower (1901 – 1917) also known as the Tesla Tower, was an early wireless telecommunications aerial tower designed by Nikola Tesla and intended for commercial trans-Atlantic wireless telephony, broadcasting, and to demonstrate the transmission of power without interconnecting wires.^[1]^[2] The core facility was never fully operational and was not completed due to economic problems. ...(from wikipedia - the rest of the article here

Unfortunately this tower was torn down for scrap during World War One.

Tesla did not have good fortunes, in 1904 the US Patent Office reversed its decision and Awarded Guglielmo Marconi the patent for radio starting a battle that did not finally get resolved until a deciscion in 1943 by the US Supreme court who awarded it back to Tesla.

Tesla went on to demonstrate his various turbines, in 1906 he demonstrated his 150kW 16,000 rpm bladless turbine.

and durning 1910 - 1911 several of his bladeless turbine enginse were tested at 74 to 3,728 kW

in 1917 some of Telsas goals for the Wardenclyffe tower were achieved at his newer tower the Telefunken Wireless Station in SAyville, Long Island.

unfortunately this was torn town by the Marines in 1917 because it was suspected it could be used by german spies.

At his Death Tesla held (and still holds) around 112 US Patents,
29 British Patents,
6 Canadian patents,
1 argentinian patent,
5 australian patents,
4 austrian patents,
21 in belgium
2 in Brazil
1 in cuba
3 in Denmark
19 German Patents
26 French,
1 in india
11 in italy,
1 in japan and
7 in hungary.

That is not by any means an exhaustive list.

Not only were many of Tesla's inventions very real, Tesla theorized, planned or claimed to have invented:
* Electric Submarine
* Telefore
* Death Ray
* Mechanical Oscillator
* Free Energy (- renewable from existing sources, not a perpetual motion machine)
* Earthquake machine
* Force Field
* Anti-Gravity Aircraft
* Thought Camera.

Dr. Nikola Tesla was without a doubt one of the most brilliant minds in history, and that is why I'll not totally write off some of his proven Ideas, because so many of his proven ideas were so fantastic.

(that said, I'm not necessarily going to believe them without evidence!)

RIM steals the iPhone's thunder with the 3G Blackberry Bold

2008-09-25T19:48:00.001-07:00

As expected, Research in Motion today unveiled the BlackBerry Bold, also known as BlackBerry 9000, a tri-band HSDPA 3G smartphone with integrated wi-fi and GPS and a 624MHz CPU with 128MB flash memory and 1GB of onboard storage memory.

The Bold features the highest-performing BlackBerry display, a half-VGA (with 480 x 320 resolution), colour LCD screen. Although not a touchscreen like the iPhone, and a lot smaller than the iPhone's 3.5-inch display, the Bold's screen has the same pixel resolution so images look much sharper on it than they do on the iPhone. RIM declined to comment on whether the company was working on a touchscreen BlackBerry.

Another highly visible change is its "desktop-style" browsing experience with an enhanced web browser and a trackball that can mimic a conventional mouse. Users can switch between the full HTML content display or the mobile version. Also new is support for streaming videos with the addition of the real-time streaming protocol.

Plus if you've been craving iTunes as well as email on your BlackBerry, the Bold now delivers. The new BlackBerry Media Sync application lets users sync iTunes music collections with the phone. A USB 2.0 port enables high speed file transfers with a PC.

The device's wi-fi adapter supports 802.11a/b/g connections. RIM is offering what it dubs "Push Button Setup" to make it simpler for users to connect to protected wireless LANs. Integrated GPS can feed location data to applications such as BlackBerry Maps.

The Bold will be available worldwide in the next few months.

Full details of the BlackBerry Bold can be found online at blackberry.com/blackberrybold. RIM says the removable-rechargeable 1500 mAhr battery delivers about 5 hours of talk time and 13 days standby time.
John Cox

Samsung Le 40F86B Tv

2008-09-25T19:47:00.005-07:00

The Samsung LE40F86B 40 1080p HD Ready LCD TV is one of the latest additions to Samsungs range of Read More

Bigger, better Eee PC

2008-09-25T19:47:00.003-07:00

Asus today launched the Eee PC 900, a bigger brother of the original Eee PC. the 900 sports a larger 8.9-inch screen, and 12 or 20GB solid state disk storage options, but it still weighs less than a kilogram.

The bigger screen has resolution of 1024 x 600, which means you can view an A4 page without having to scroll left or right. New FingerGlide technology makes it possible to use two simple finger movements on the touchpad to scroll up and down for easier document viewing or zoom in and out of pictures.

To suit differing user requirements, the Eee PC 900 is available with Windows XP or a Linux operating system.

The Eee PC 900 is available this month with a recommended retail price of NZ$749 inc GST. The XP version will be available through selected retailers and the Linux version will be available through computer resellers.

Details on Samsung HZ1 compact ultrazoom emerge

2008-09-25T19:47:00.001-07:00

Samsung is making a strong bid to be taken seriously in the high-performance compact segment with their announcement of the 10x zoom Samsung HZ1. Read More

Tigerdirect: refurb Samsung LN-T4661F 46in 1080p LCD TV $1000

2008-09-24T03:45:00.009-07:00

Tigerdirect: refurb Samsung LN-T4661F 46in 1080p LCD TV $1000

Sidelined 1950s mountain-climbing technology resurrected to help patients

2008-09-24T03:45:00.007-07:00

Sidelined 1950s mountain-climbing technology resurrected to help patients
in order to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Smiths Medical and University College London have resurrected the sidelined closed-circuit breathing system designed for a failed Everest expedition over 50 years ago. Closed-circuit devices, (also known as rebreathers), create a seal over the user’s mouth, retaining the exhaled air, scrubbing it of carbon dioxide, and allowing the user to inhale it again. ..

Tags: Design, History, Medical, Pioneer

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How to take photos at night - DSLR Tips workshop

2008-09-24T03:45:00.005-07:00

How to take photos at night - DSLR Tips workshop
Photos taken at night can produce spectacular results - in fact many cities present their best views after dark. Night photography can also be very forgiving in bad weather, so if rain's prevented you from grabbing the shots you want of a city, it's well worth trying again after sunset. Night photography can however prove quite a challenge in Automatic modes, but it's surprisingly easy with a few simple tricks and in our latest video workshop at DSLR Tips, we'll explain how.

Sites to Browse - iPop Your Baby

2008-09-24T03:45:00.003-07:00

This unique clothing line allows your baby to sport the unique iPod interface. Read More

Nikon Announces Coolpix P80 with 18x Optical Zoom

2008-09-24T03:45:00.001-07:00

Nikon has today announced their first entry into the super zoom point and shoot market with the Nikon Coolpix P80, a 10MP compact camera featuring an 18x optical wide angle zoom, in camera CCD shift image stabilization, an electronic viewfinder as well as a large 2.7-inch high resolution 230K LCD rear monitor with wide viewing angle. See full story... Read More

PowerPoint 2003 Menus - Toolbars - Status Bar - Toggle Popup Toolbar in Slideshows

2008-09-24T03:44:00.009-07:00

Decide whether or not a popup toolbar should appear when playing slideshows in PowerPoint 2003.

Depending on your Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 configuration, when playing a slideshow, you may be able to open a popup toolbar by moving your mouse. This toolbar lets you skip to different slides, create ink annotations, or end the presentation prematurely.

Your needs will determine whether or not you wish this toolbar to appear. Though it may prove convenient in navigating your presentation, the toolbar may cover up elements of your slides or otherwise make the presentation appear less than professional. ...

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Creative Zen X-Fi 8GB

2008-09-24T03:44:00.007-07:00

Creative has been hawking its X-Fi sound enhancement technology hard in the last couple of years, putting it in everything from sound cards to headphones -- and now in a portable AV player. Aside from the usual voice recorder, FM radio, expandable storage, and audio/video playback, the Zen X-Fi is the first player from Creative to offer built-in WiFi. Like Microsoft's Zune, the X-Fi lacks a Web browser, which is a major stumbling block for a WiFi device, but it also lacks the Zune's wireless sync. It does, however, offer limited chat capabilities and AV streaming via LAN.

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Details on Samsung HZ1 compact ultrazoom emerge

2008-09-24T03:44:00.005-07:00

Details on Samsung HZ1 compact ultrazoom emerge
Samsung is making a strong bid to be taken seriously in the high-performance compact segment with their announcement of the 10x zoom Samsung HZ1.

PowerPoint 2003 Menus - Toolbars - Status Bar - Enable or Disable Shortcut Keys When Hovering Over Toolbars

2008-09-24T03:44:00.003-07:00

PowerPoint 2003 Menus - Toolbars - Status Bar - Enable or Disable Shortcut Keys When Hovering Over Toolbars
Toggle whether or not shortcut keys should display when you hover your mouse pointer over icons in PowerPoint 2003 toolbars.

Depending on your configuration, when you hover over icons in Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 toolbars, keystroke shortcuts may appear along with the description of the button. For example, hovering over the disk icon may display "Save (Ctrl+S)", hovering over the folder open icon may display "Open (Ctrl+O)", and hovering over the ABC and checkmark icon may display "Spelling (F7)".

If you frequently use keyboard shortcuts, you may find these hints useful - when you later need to access a toolbar function, you may remember the keystrokes instead. However, if you rarely use such shortcuts or already have the keystrokes memorized, you can disable this feature....

Read more at MalekTips.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 review and video tour

2008-09-24T03:44:00.001-07:00

The Lumix DMC-LX3 is Panasonic's flagship compact for enthusiasts. Coming two years after its predecessor, the new LX3 features 10.1 Megapixel resolution, full manual control, HD movie recording, a flash hotshoe, RAW recording and a 2.5x optical zoom with optical stabilisation, a bright focal ratio of f2.0 and an unusually wide angle lens with coverage equivalent to 24mm. It ticks all the right boxes for enthusiasts on the lookout for a high-end compact, but does it deliver the goods in practice along with banishing the demons of its predecessor? Find out in our Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 review and as always check out the highlights in our video tour. Read More

NewEgg: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD753LJ 750GB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive $95 shipped

2008-09-19T19:07:00.019-07:00

NewEgg: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD753LJ 750GB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive $95 shipped

Windows XP and the Display - Desktop - Quickly Hide or Show Your Desktop Icons

2008-09-19T19:07:00.017-07:00

This tip lets you hide or show all of your Desktop Icons on your Windows XP machine. Read More

Lexar Memory Stick Micro

2008-09-19T19:07:00.015-07:00

Lexar Memory Stick Micro
Superior Quality Mobile Memory Products Enhance Capabilities of Cell Phones and Portable Devices.

SendMeHome

2008-09-19T19:07:00.013-07:00

New website launches innovative lost-and-found technology. Read More

Pentax go it alone

2008-09-19T19:07:00.011-07:00

Pentax go it alone
Major restructuring means Pentax now control their distribution channel.

Unomat

2008-09-19T19:07:00.009-07:00

The Licence holder of AgfaPhoto digital cameras has fully taken over the rights and patents of the Unomat brand and their range of products which includes lighting and cases will be on show at Photokina. Read More

Sky launches HD with sport and movies

2008-09-19T19:07:00.007-07:00

Sky launches HD with sport and movies

Sky TV today launched its high-definition offering dubbed My Sky HDi. The first channels out of the blocks with HD content will be Sky Sports 1 and 2, Sky Movies and Sky Movies Greats.

And, throwing the cat amongst the pigeons in the free-to-air space, TV3 will also be carried in HD on the new service.

Existing My Sky subscribers will be able to upgrade to the new service, and the new set top box, for $49.95. The new My Sky box has twice the hard drive storage of the existing My Sky box and an additional tuner so you can record two programmes at once and watch a third.

If you are a Sky subscriber but not currently a My Sky subscriber you have two options. You can join the new service and have your old box taken away for a joining fee of $599 (remember too that you do not own the My Sky box, you are just renting it). You will then pay $10 a month for HD service on top of your current subscription.
Alternatively, you can go for the multi-room option where you keep your old box as a second box for another room and get the new MY Sky HD box, for a fee of $599. You will then get a multi-room subscription free for four months (a multi-room subscription is normally $25 a month on top your usual subscription).

Output to your TV will be via HDMI and all high definition broadcasts will be at 1080i resolution. This means Sky TV here will film all its own high-def content at 1080i and all overseas shows to be broadcast in high-def will be scaled to 1080i.

The "i" in HDi stands for internet and the launch of IPTV with the new MY Sky box featuring an Ethernet connection built in. No details were available on this service and it is currently about a year away.

Sky chief executive John Fellet said high definition would be " the biggest change in television since the introduction of colour in the 1970s". He went on to say that the TV business had always been a race between the broadcast delivery technology and the TV sets themselves. Lately, he said, the TV sets had been winning. An analogue picture on an HDTV looked atrocious, a digital image helped, but a high-def image was what was needed.

Sky's director of Sports Kevin Cameron said the first high-def offerings would be events they covered themselves. To this end, Sky has built a multi-million dollar outside broadcast unit into a huge semi-trailer truck using Sony high-def equipment. This unit has been at work filming in high-def for the past few months and a further three trucks are on their way.

Starting from launch next month until the end of the year, Sky would broadcast 104 sports events in high-def that it had covered itself, and there would be further high-def content from offshore.

Sports fans can look forward to seeing high-def rugby (Tri-Nations and NPC), soccer (English Premiere league and Australian A-league), cricket (England vs South Africa), tennis (US Open), rugby league (NRL and UK Super league) and Nascar.

By August, said Cameron, their would be 500 hours of high-def sports per week and 90 hours on the weekend alone.

Further down the track, Sky has secured the rights to both the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. These two events would receive saturation coverage with the London Olympics having 22hrs of high-def coverage per day on the Prime channel, backed up by a further eight Sky channels boradcasting 24 hours a day.

By the time, there would also be offerings in the mobile TV space and video on demand.

In terms of movies, director of entertainment Travis Dunbar said 60% of movies would be available in high-def on launch, and up to 90% by January of next year. He also said that the gap between theatrical release and movies appearing on Sky was rapidly decreasing and Sky's movies were becoming more current as a result.

As you might expect, the first movies to get HD treatment will be blockbusters like Spiderman 3, Pirates of the Caribbean: World's End and The Bourne Ultimatum. These movies, said Dunbar, offered those who had invested in a home theatre system the most bang for their buck in terms of image and surround sound.

John Fellet also pointed out that sports in high-def was about the audio as well as the picture and Sky would be working hard to deliver sports events in Dolby 5.1 too.

In technical terms, high-def content will be delivered at bit-rates of about 14Mbits/s as opposed to 6-8Mbits/s for standard definition, and it certainly looked crystal clear in the demos featuring the Super 14 semi-final and the Black Caps one-dayer against England.

A spin off benefit will be that the newer, fatter pipe for bringing in high-def content from offshore will mean that images need to be less compressed before they are sent here, resulting in an improved image at this end for both high-def and standard-def broadcasts.

Bestbuy: Panasonic 50in 720p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV $1000 shipped

2008-09-19T19:07:00.005-07:00

Windows XP and DOS - Printer Driver Information

2008-09-19T19:07:00.003-07:00

For diagnostic purposes, display detailed information about currently installed printers on a Windows XP system on the DOS command line. Read More

You call that a case? This is a case!

2008-09-19T19:07:00.001-07:00

The Skeleton case is exactly what it sounds like; a barebones open-air case designed for modders, gamers and hobbyists. Antec says it’s the first of its kind in the world, and while we’ve seen some home-brew versions of this, we’d have to agree.

The case weighs in at just over seven kgs, and supports graphic cards up to 27cm in length. It features the standard USB and Firewire ports on the front of the case. The top fan is a massive 250mm, cooling a horizontal, standard ATX-sized motherboard.

We haven’t confirmed any pricing for this unit yet, but it should be available from Antec shortly.

Logitech introduces Omnidirectional PC Speakers

2008-09-19T18:26:00.011-07:00

September 16, 2008 Logitech is proclaiming a significant step for itself in the evolution of the PC speaker. Logitech Z-5 omnidirectional stereo speakers use omnidirectional acoustics that create a substantially wider sweet spot – an especially helpful feature if you often move your laptop around your home or office. An innovative speaker technology previously found only in expensive home-theater systems, omnidirectional acoustics on the Logitech Z-5 speakers use forward- and backward-firing drivers to transmit sound evenly in all directions, and they’re available for both religions - PC or Mac at US$100 a pair...

Tags: Logitech, Speakers

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Northrop Grumman to build first new aircraft carrier class in 40 years

2008-09-19T18:26:00.009-07:00

The Gerald R. Ford CVN 78 is the first ship in the first new aircraft carrier class in over 40 years and Northrop Grumman has received a $5.1 billion, seven-year contract for its construction, which is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in 2015...

Tags: Aeroplanes, Construction, Design, Military, Naval Warfare, Northrop Grumman, UAV

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Leica D-Lux 4, C-Lux 3 provide new advanced compact options

2008-09-19T18:26:00.007-07:00

Leica D-Lux 4, C-Lux 3 provide new advanced compact options
Leica has officially announced the launch of two new advanced compact cameras, the Leica D-Lux 4 and C-Lux 3.

Movies arrive at iTunes NZ store (finally)

2008-09-19T18:26:00.005-07:00

Movies have finally made their way to the New Zealand iTunes Store. As of today Kiwis can rent or buy from a selection of over 700 new and back catalogue films directly from the internet.

While North Americans and some European territories have enjoyed legal movie downloads via iTunes (and indeed other sources such as Xbox Live Marketplace and Playstation Network) for some time now, Kiwis have been stuck in the 20th century having to get our movie fix from traditional sources, so this move by Apple represents a major step forward when it comes to the oh-so tricky world of international distribution agreements. As it stands Apple has managed to get most of the big studios onboard meaning the local iTunes store can carry films from 20th Century Fox, Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros, MGM, Sony Pictures and Lionsgate.

Buying movies costs $24.99 for new releases, $17.99 for recent releases and $9.99 for back catalogue stuff.

Renting movies costs $6.99 for new releases and $4.99 for older flicks.

High definition versions are available for an extra $1 and Apple say over 100 of the 700 total movies on offer can be bought in HD.

Movie rentals expire 30 days after you download it or 48 hours after you start playing it for the first time. After you start playing it you can watch it as many times as you like during that 48 period until it expires.

As with overseas iTunes Movie Stores the content is copy protected and can only be played back via iTunes or on an iPod, iPhone or Apple TV device.

No sign of TV shows making their way to the local iTunes Store and given the complexity of local distribution deals with companies like TVNZ, Sky and TV3, we don't imagine they'll be here anytime soon. We'll keep you posted though.

ChiefValue: Western Digital Caviar SE16 640GB Hard Drives - OEM $77 shipped

2008-09-19T18:26:00.003-07:00

ChiefValue: Western Digital Caviar SE16 640GB Hard Drives - OEM $77 shipped

Nikon D90, Canon EOS 50D, D300 and D80 Compared Side by Side

2008-09-19T18:26:00.001-07:00

NEC releases S9100 ultraportable notebook

2008-09-19T18:25:00.007-07:00

NEC releases S9100 ultraportable notebook

Weighing in at 1.25kg and with a 12.1-inch screen, NEC's new Versa S9100 notebook slots right into the new ultraportable segment.

Japanese designed and manufactured, the S9100 has a tough magnesium alloy chassis and a top cover designed to withstand a crushing force of up to 300kg to prevent damage to the LCD screen. In addition, a ‘Free Fall Sensor’ protects your hard disk from damage and/or data loss resulting from accidental drops, bumps and excessive vibration.
Battery life is rated at six hours, helped by an LED screen backlight that uses much less power than the traditional cathode tube.
An internal DVD Burner is provided along with a standard 2GB of RAM, and a low-voltage Intel Core 2 Duo U7600 chip powers things along.
Pricing will start at about $3500.

Windows Media Player 11 - Multimedia Playback Keyboard Shortcuts

2008-09-19T18:25:00.005-07:00

A list of commonly-used keyboard shortcuts when playing multimedia with Windows Media Player 11. Read More

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50 with 15x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LCD

2008-09-19T18:25:00.003-07:00

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50 with 15x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LCD
Sony Canada today announced the latest addition to its high-zoom camera line, the 9.1-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-H50 digital camera. This new model (which is a successor to the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H9) incorporates a 15x optical zoom lens with Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization to capture action at a distance. The Sony DSC-H50 also features extensive manual controls, including an exposure bracketing mode that newly includes settings for white balance and color modes. See full story...

Large Hadron Collider Live Streaming webcam

2008-09-19T18:25:00.001-07:00

Large Hadron Collider Live Streaming webcam
This is fantastic, particularly to those subscribing to the current wave of F.U.D.

http://www.lhc-live.com/

Seriously though, I think this is a great project, large international projects like this always restore some of the faith I have in mankind, as I believe our ability to colloborate and work together is definitely the future.

So what does the LHC Actually do?

effectively it uses a 27-od kilometer long tube that is surrounded by electro-magnets that accelerate sub-atomic particles to 99.9999999% of the speed of light in opposite directions and then slam them into each other.

(it works like the rail gun from quake excepted bigger and in a loop)

Why?

By slamming the particles into each other it should break them down into the parts that make them up _hopefully_ recreating conditions that existed nano seconds after the big bang.

What will we find / will happen?
Well the honest answer is we dont know but the hope is that we may be able to discover the Higgs Boson, also nicknamed the "God Particle"

this hopefully would provide the answer as to what causes mass,

We could also discover additional previously unknown dimensions of space - time (- this could be real handy for space travel and other bits and pieces)

Could it actually cause a black hole?
Absolutely. could it cause a black hole that poses a danger to earth and the solar system and everything? well yes, but its not very likely.

When is the _real_ stuff happening? (eg the smashing and bashing) in about 4 weeks to a months time.

What will this give us?
Well the CERN project gave us the World - Wide - Web (not the internet) as a major part of it was created to share information between scientists, thanks to Tim Berners-Lee

So its already (arguably) better the grand total of mankind.

What else?
the applications for the results of the experiment could be endless, or could be not much at all, noone knows till we get some results and experiments done.

So it goes on...

2008-09-15T09:43:00.003-07:00

So it goes on...
The saga of the Mobile Me debacle continues.

Now over 7 days since my wife had access to her mail. I would imagine that Apple could have totally replaced any servers affected many times over within seven days. The average corporate IT dept can fix things in 24 hrs - I am sure the problem is bigger, but then so are the resources Apple has available to deploy!

Worst of all is the fact that there just seems to be no comment coming from Apple about the nature of the issue and when they expect to have things up and running.

On top of that it has still barely stopped raining....!

We did go and see Dark Knight today. IMHO one of the better Batman films to date. The late Heath Ledger is, I think, an excellent Joker - a memorable Swansong performance from an actor who had much potential. If you like that kind of thing, it's a great film with lots of action. We are in danger of trying to explore 'the reason why' a bit too much though - Batman is because Batman is! We need not be troubled with his navel gazing when we have so many of our own issues to resolve, I feel.

Well, have a good weekend, Dear Reader!

[MODIFIED] Mozilla Firefox - Searching - More Keyboard Shortcuts for Search

2008-09-15T09:43:00.001-07:00

Even more Mozilla Firefox searching shortcuts Read More

DSLR Tips! A new website from Camera Labs

2008-09-15T09:42:00.013-07:00

DSLR Tips! A new website from Camera Labs
Today sees the launch of DSLR Tips, a new photography site from the founders of Camera Labs! DSLR Tips is aimed at anyone who's just got their first DSLR or wants to take their photography beyond automatic. Our video tutorials will show you how to achieve a number of effects and styles, while the lens guide will help you decide which optics are best for your style of photography. So if you'd like to learn more about your DSLR, or know someone who does, then head over to DSLR Tips!

I love my new iPhone 3G, but will it blend?

2008-09-15T09:42:00.011-07:00

I love my new iPhone 3G, but will it blend?
Check this clip to see if the iPhone will blend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLxq90xmYUs

Canon EOS 1000D / Rebel XS compared to rivals

2008-09-15T09:42:00.009-07:00

Canon EOS 1000D / Rebel XS compared to rivals
Today Canon announced its latest DSLR, the EOS 1000D / Rebel XS. This new model replaces the EOS 400D / XTi as the entry-level model in Canon's range and sports the same 10.1 Megapixel resolution, 3fps continuous shooting rate and 2.5in screen. The big new feature over the 400D / XTi is of course Live View, although the 1000D / XS is also Canon's lightest DSLR to date at just 450g. To help you decide if it's the new DSLR for you, we've compared the features of the new EOS 1000D / Rebel XS against its predecessor and several other key rivals. So to find out all the details about Canon's latest DSLR and how it measures-up, check out our Canon EOS 1000D / Rebel XS feature comparison

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35 with 4x Wide-Angle 25mm Zoom

2008-09-15T09:42:00.007-07:00

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35 with 4x Wide-Angle 25mm Zoom
Panasonic has today introduced the 10.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-FX35 with an impressive 25mm ultra-wide-angle LEICA DC lens and 4x optical zoom (equivalent to 25mm to 100 mm on a 35mm film camera). Panasonic's Intelligent Auto mode, which includes various shooting-assist functions, has been enhanced in the DMC-FX35 by adding an Intelligent Exposure feature and Digital Red-eye Correction. See full story...

Who am I?

2008-09-15T09:42:00.005-07:00

Ever Googled yourself? Of course you have… But what if the search result throws up something quite unexpected, something a little off colour? As it has in my case...

Toshiba XD-E500

2008-09-15T09:42:00.003-07:00

Just when I thought that I would probably never review a DVD player gain, Toshiba introduced their new XD-E500 1080p up conversion DVD player. Toshiba, who was one of the co-inventor’s DVD technology, and also the creator of the now defunct high-definition HD DVD optical disc, is coming back to the DVD marketplace with a new upconverting DVD player. Why? While still licking its wounds from the loss of its high-definition optical disc format, Toshiba has unveiled a new video processing technology called ‘XDE,’ which stands for ‘Extended Detail.’ According to Toshiba, XDE offers enhanced picture performance from standard definition DVDs. Toshiba has also realized the folks are not quite ready to give up their DVD players just yet in favor of Blu-ray players either, and are still quite fond of their DVDs. So, the idea of XDE was born in hopes of breathing renewed life into the DVD format. The new model XD-E500, which is housed in a sleek and very slender black cabinet, is priced at $149.95 retail. I expect it to be $99 by the Holidays.

Read | Permalink | User Reviews | Linking Blogs

Canon Rebel XS, EOS 1000D Entry Level Digital SLR

2008-09-15T09:42:00.001-07:00

Canon Rebel XS, EOS 1000D Entry Level Digital SLR
Canon has today introduced the Canon Digital Rebel XS digital SLR. In some countries (Europe) the camera will be known as the Canon EOS 1000D. The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS / 1000D features an APS-C size 10.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and Canon's DIGIC III image processor, and joins the ranks in the Canon lineup as the entry level digital SLR model under the recently announced 12.2 MP Canon Rebel XSi / 450D. See full story...

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 with 18x zoom

2008-09-15T09:10:00.007-07:00

Panasonic has today introduced the 10.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-FZ28 digital camera, featuring a 27mm wide-angle Leica lens with an 18x optical zoom (27mm-486mm). The powerful 18x zoom lens makes it easy to pull in subjects from far away or to take dramatic close-ups. See full story... Read More

Dell Outlet: 25% off refurbished Dell XPS ONE PC coupon, loaded 20in All-in-one PC w/ TV $644

2008-09-15T09:10:00.005-07:00

Dell Outlet: 25% off refurbished Dell XPS ONE PC coupon, loaded 20in All-in-one PC w/ TV $644

LG 42LT75 Television

2008-09-15T09:10:00.003-07:00

The LG 42LT75 is a revolutionary LCD TV that has an integrated 160GB hard drive allowing you to pause Read More

Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 review - updated results and samples

2008-09-15T09:10:00.001-07:00

Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 review - updated results and samples
We've updated our Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 review with new results and sample images taken with a final production camera. We've compared this retail unit with what's likely to be its biggest rival, the Canon EOS 400D / Rebel XTi, and shown how they measure-up in terms of studio resolution, real-life detail and noise levels. The entry-level DSLR market has never been tougher, so to see how the latest Alpha compares against its biggest rival and its predecessor, the best-selling Alpha A100, check out the updated results and gallery pages of our Sony A200 review. For a demo of its features, see our Sony A200 video tour.

Canon EOS 1000D / Rebel XS compared to rivals

2008-09-15T09:09:00.011-07:00

Today Canon announced its latest DSLR, the EOS 1000D / Rebel XS. This new model replaces the EOS 400D / XTi as the entry-level model in Canon's range and sports the same 10.1 Megapixel resolution, 3fps continuous shooting rate and 2.5in screen. The big new feature over the 400D / XTi is of course Live View, although the 1000D / XS is also Canon's lightest DSLR to date at just 450g. To help you decide if it's the new DSLR for you, we've compared the features of the new EOS 1000D / Rebel XS against its predecessor and several other key rivals. So to find out all the details about Canon's latest DSLR and how it measures-up, check out our Canon EOS 1000D / Rebel XS feature comparison Read More

Retailers stung by credit card fraud

2008-09-15T09:09:00.009-07:00

There is a new form of credit card fraud going around New Zealand. It involves customers using fraudulent cards made overseas that either, not linked to a bank account or the bank does not exist at all. They have been hitting retailers throughout New Zealand. Their modus operandi is to be friendly, chatty, well dressed as well as talking on a cellphone. Primarily they are of Asian decent, and use credit cards link to Asian banks.

The credit cards have all of the signs of being genuine, embossed numbers match front and back, signature matches for of ID (which is usually and passport) as well as the name matching. They always know what they are after, and do not mind mixing and matching goods if certain colours are not available.
The retailer will not know what has happened until they find that a few weeks later the funds are never transferred into their bank account.
They are confident enough to ask for goods to be put aside if their card declines, and then come back with a different card. Transactions can vary between just under $1000 to just under $2000.

Purchases can include Apple products, Playstation products and prepaid mobiles. To help ease the retailer into the suspicious looking sale, they will ask for a cheap mobile, stating that it is to be used as a spare. The perpetrators are usually Asian, and are dressed very well. They are usually using a high end cellphone to talk to their mates in a near by vehicle.

Panasonic launches pair of Micro Four Thirds zooms

2008-09-15T09:09:00.007-07:00

In support of its Lumix G1 announcement this morning, Panasonic has released details about the first two lenses for the new Micro Four Thirds mount: the Lumix G Vario 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 Asph./Mega O.I.S., and the Lumix G Vario 45-200mm f/4-5.6 Mega O.I.S. Read More

Sandisk Extreme III CompactFlash 32Gb

2008-09-15T09:09:00.005-07:00

Sandisk Extreme III CompactFlash 32Gb
Whopping capacity and increased performance make new card ideal for use in professional video Cameras.

BuyDig: Samsung LN52A650 52in Series 6 LCD HDTV $2125 shipped

2008-09-15T09:09:00.003-07:00

Sony BRAVIA KDL-46W3000 Television

2008-09-15T09:09:00.001-07:00

Sony BRAVIA KDL-46W3000 Television
The Sony Bravia KDL46W3000 is one of the latest High Definition LCD TVs that Sony has released. The

Apple iPod classic Black (80GB, PC/MAC - MB147LL/A) (80 GB, 20000 Songs) Digital Media Player

2008-09-13T16:38:00.013-07:00

Apple iPod classic Black (80GB, PC/MAC - MB147LL/A) (80 GB, 20000 Songs) Digital Media Player
The new iPod Classic will store so much of your favourite music with either 80GB or 160GB hard drive,

Digital Foci Image Moments 6

2008-09-13T16:38:00.011-07:00

Share & relive your treasured memories, instantly in sharp, vibrant colours Read More

Update Windows Live Mobile or not?

2008-09-13T16:38:00.009-07:00

Update Windows Live Mobile or not?
This week we got the news Microsoft has released an update for Windows Live Mobile. No, don't go updating your Windows Mobile Pocket PC yet. Read on.

First the good news: this update enhances Windows Live on your Windows Mobile. Great. But if you have Windows Live Messenger on your device (installed by an OEM), don't install this update yet. Read more.

Windows Live Mobile is really cool - it enables push e-mail for your Windows Live accounts (this includes Hotmail and even the Geekzonemail accounts).

Here is the bad news: Microsoft stopped providing Windows Live Messenger with Windows Live Mobile - a departure from earlier versions. And if you have an old Windows Live Mobile version with Windows Live Messenger, installing this new version will disable the Messenger component.

The Windows Live Messenger files are still in the system, but the program won't start at all. Uninstalling the "update" will automatically revert to the previous version and enable Windows Live Messenger again.

What is really annoying is that Microsoft makes Windows Live Messenger available for RIM BlackBerry users, but leave Windows Mobile users in the cold, waiting for operators to release their software (which we all know ain't gonna happen any time soon).

If you don't have Windows Live Mobile on your device (some OEMs don't include it), then you can download it now - and use a third party software for communicating with friends on Windows Live Messenger. Try one of the following:

- Fring (free, multiple IM systems, Skype, SIP, Twitter)
- Pocket MSN
- MSN Messenger Force

Olympus E-3 - full review and video tour

2008-09-13T16:38:00.007-07:00

Olympus E-3 - full review and video tour
The Olympus E-3 is the long-awaited new flagship of the Four Thirds standard. The E-3 doubles its predecessor's resolution to 10 Megapixels, features tough weather-proof construction, built-in image stabilisation, a fully-articulated screen with Live View, and of course the legendary SSWF anti-dust filter. Olympus has also addressed two concerns with the Four Thirds standard by equipping the E-3 with a large viewfinder and a new 11-point AF system which it claims is the World's fastest. It's an impressive specification, but directly up against models like the Nikon D300, not to mention the more affordable Canon EOS 40D and Sony Alpha A700. To find out how it compares and whether it's a contender in the semi-pro market, check out our Olympus E-3 review - and as always for a demonstration of its features, see our Olympus E-3 video tour.

Camera Labs Assignment: vote for your favourite!

2008-09-13T16:38:00.005-07:00

Camera Labs Assignment: vote for your favourite!
It's the first day of a new month which means a new Assignment in the Camera Labs forums. The theme as suggested by the winner of February's Assignment, zrmi, is 'Transportation'. To enter, visit the April Assignment Submissions page. This also means submissions for last month's Assignment are now closed so you can vote for your favourite entry of Big Pix's 'Time' theme. So to vote, head on over to our March Assignment Submissions thread.

Dell Home: Inspiron 1525 laptop T8300 15.4in 2GB 160GB 11g $803 shipped

2008-09-13T16:38:00.003-07:00

Dell Home: Inspiron 1525 laptop T8300 15.4in 2GB 160GB 11g $803 shipped

Sharp's solar LED street lights incorporate seismic detection

2008-09-13T16:38:00.001-07:00

The argument for switching to solar-powered street lighting seems very clear cut: they run on sunlight, emit no CO2 emissions, provide an off-the grid source of lighting during in an emergency situation and use efficient LED-based light which tends not to attract insects. Sharp Corporation has announced plans to roll-out two new models of solar-powered LED street lights in the Japanese market and these have the added bonus of in-built Seismic Motion Sensors which detect earthquakes of five or greater on the Japanese seismic scale and respond by switching to full illumination for two nights...

Tags: LED, Lighting, Security, Sharp, Solar

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The MX-6000 RF and WiFi capable universal remote

2008-09-13T16:37:00.005-07:00

The MX-6000 touch-screen remote control provides users with access to their media library - including data on their PC and iPod - using both a narrow band 418 MHz transmitter and an 802.11 B/G WiFi transceiver. This makes it the first control to offer two independent communications and control methods simultaneously...

Tags: Audio, iPod, Network, Remote Control, Touch Screen

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Canon launches EOS 50D Digital SLR

2008-09-13T16:37:00.003-07:00

Canon launches EOS 50D Digital SLR
Today Canon announced the EOS 50D Digital SLR, which complements the EOS 40D rather than replacing it. The EOS 50D greatly resembles the EOS 40D from the outside, but features a new 15.1 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor backed-up by the newly developed DiG!C 4 processor. In reaction to Nikon's D300, the sensitivity has been boosted to 3200 ISO with extended 6400 and 12800 ISO modes, the screen resolution improved to VGA / 920k dots, and an HDMI port fitted for HD slideshows; Live View now also includes contrast-based AF and face detection options. Continuous shooting is only a fraction slower than the 40D at 6.3fps, and Canon has finally launched an EF-S 18-200mm IS lens to go with it which will also please owners of existing APS-C Canon DSLRs. The 50D is due in September, but where's the long-awaited EOS 5D replacement? Discuss this news in the Cameralabs forum and look out for a preview coming soon.

RIM steals the iPhone's thunder with the 3G Blackberry Bold

2008-09-13T16:37:00.001-07:00

The Bold will be available worldwide in the next few months.

Solar trees take root at the University of California

2008-09-13T04:10:00.011-07:00

The University of California in San Diego (UCSD) is undertaking an unusual forestry project on the roof of two of its parking garages. The “Solar Trees” being constructed on the roofs will comprise steel components fitted with a canopy of Kyocera photovoltaic modules to provide solar energy for the university...

Tags: Design, Environmental, Renewable Energy, Solar

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Buyers Guide updated with latest models

2008-09-13T04:10:00.009-07:00

Following a run of excellent cameras, we've updated our Buyers Guide to include the Canon EOS 450D / XSi, Sony Alpha A350 and Panasonic's Lumix TZ5 and FX35 compacts. So whether you're in the market for a new compact, super-zoom, budget DSLR or semi-pro DSLR, check out the Camera Labs Buyers Guide to find out the best models around right now! As always, every model recommended in our Buyers Guide has been fully tested. Read More

Sony Alpha DSLR-A350 - full review and video tour

2008-09-13T04:10:00.007-07:00

The Alpha A350 is the top model in Sony's latest triplet of DSLRs. It takes A200's body with built-in stabilisation, swaps the 10.2 Megapixel sensor for one with 14.2 Megapixels, equips it with Live View and hinges the 2.7in screen so it can tilt up or down for easier framing at high or low angles. The Live View also employs a secondary sensor in the viewfinder, which means the normal AF system can work as quickly as normal and there's none of the usual noises or delay. On paper, the A350 looks like being one of the most important DSLRs of 2008, but does it live up to its expectations in practice? Find out in our Sony Alpha DSLR A350 review and as always, check out the highlights in our A350 video tour. Read More

Camera Labs Assignment: vote for your favourite!

2008-09-13T04:10:00.005-07:00

It's the first day of a new month which means a new Assignment in the Camera Labs forums. The theme as suggested by the winner of March's Assignment, chaplainblake, is 'Reflection'. To enter, visit the May Assignment Submissions page. This also means submissions for last month's Assignment are now closed so you can vote for your favourite entry of zrmi's 'Transportation' theme. So to vote, head on over to our April Assignment Submissions thread. Read More

Nikon D90 SLR High ISO Full Size Image Samples Test

2008-09-13T04:10:00.003-07:00

We have just posted a small image gallery from the 12.3MP Nikon D90 with the Nikkor AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR zoom lens. The images are taken at ISO settings from 1600-6400 ISO. Original unedited images are available for download (JPEG FINE). Please note as of today Capture NX2 has not been updated to read the Nikon D90 digital SLR EXIF data properly. To see the correct EXIF data it seems that Apple Aperture and Adobe Bridge version CS3 will display the correct EXIF data. See our Nikon D90 image samples... Read More

Samsung Le 40F86B Tv

2008-09-13T04:10:00.001-07:00

The Samsung LE40F86B 40 1080p HD Ready LCD TV is one of the latest additions to Samsungs range of Read More

Canon Rebel XSi and Powershot price drops

2008-09-13T04:09:00.007-07:00

Canon Canada Inc. has today announced a significant price reduction on the 12MP Canon Rebel XSi camera body, and on the available Canon Rebel XSi kit configurations, including the standard EOS Rebel XSi kit with EF-S 18-55mm IS zoom lens. Canon has also reduced the price on the sleek and pocketable 10 megapixel Canon Powershot SD890 IS, SD790 IS and the Powershot SD770 IS digital cameras by up to $50. See full story... Read More

NewEgg: Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS 8MP Digital Camera $169 shipped + free case + 2GB SD

2008-09-13T04:09:00.005-07:00

SanDisk announces 32 GB Extreme III CompactFlash

2008-09-13T04:09:00.003-07:00

SanDisk has released a new 32 GB, high speed CompactFlash card targeted to professional photography and videography markets. Read More

Update Windows Live Mobile or not?

2008-09-13T04:09:00.001-07:00

Freeview Coverage Tool

2008-09-13T04:01:00.011-07:00

Freeview Coverage Tool

Unsure if you're able to receive Freeview or Freeview HD in your town? A new tool uses Google Maps to allow Kiwis to enter a street address and instantly find out what coverage is like in a particular area. It works right down to individual street numbers too. Find it here: www.freeviewnz.tv

While we’re on the topic of Freeview, see how far you can "Toss The Tellie" in Freeview’s simple browser-based Flash game. It’s a promo site for TVNZ’s 2008 Olympics coverage (in high definition via Freeview HD) and you may even win yourself a brand new plasma TV with built in Freeview HD tuner. www.freeviewnz.tv/tossthetellie

RPS Annual International Awards

2008-09-13T04:01:00.009-07:00

Sir David Attenborough receives the progress medal and honorary fellowship of The Royal Photographic Society at Annual International Awards 2008. Read More